Some meals have "seasons" & I think beef briskett goes along with Passover like corned beef goes along with St. Patrick's Day. The supermarkets think so too since it these cuts of meet go on sale to coincide with the respective holiday. Place price aside, & brisket is the perfect cut to make in the slow-cooker. It's a tough meat that benefits from the long braising time.

This meal was oh so good.
This was break apart, delicious.
Don't wait for a holiday, make it for dinner soon.

<3 Lishie
 

Slow-Cooker Brisket & Onions 

slightly adapted from Martha Stewart

• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 5 medium carrots, cleaned & peeled
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 1 first cut of beef brisket* (4 lbs.), trimmed of excess fat
• Coarse salt & ground pepper
• 2 c low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 TBSp chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, lay the carrots on the bottom. Season brisket with salt & pepper & place, fat side up, on top of the carrots in slow cooker. Place onion & garlic on top. Add broth. Cover & cook on high until brisket is fork-tender, about 6 hours. Remove brisket & thinly slice against the grain. Serve with onion & some cooking liquid; sprinkle with parsley.

I served with herb-buttered noodles, alongside.

*Lishie (& Martha) tip- For this recipe, look for the leaner first cut, or "flat cut."

Favorite Artichoke Pasta

We have a really good Student Food Courts at NYU, & this recipe was conceived from a lunch I had at the Kimmel Center Market Place Pasta station... You pick your pasta, your sauce & items to put in the sauce, just like a salad bar. And these are mouth-watering sauces & additions. I wanted to replicate the lunch at home for my family & lo & behold, it has become a staple in our house!!! I've dubbed it "our favorite artichoke pasta". But you can call it what you like! :) <3 Lishie

Favorite Artichoke Pasta

• 1 lb. medium pasta shells
• 1 TBSp olive oil
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 3 oz. chopped pancetta (or bacon, can be turkey)
• 1 can of artichokes in water, drained
• 1 can petite, diced tomatoes in sauce
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1/4 c shredded mozzarella
• fresh parsley
• grated parmesan, optional

Cook the pasta to box instructions.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil on medium, add the shallot for a minute. Add the pancetta, stir for a minute. Add the artichokes & allow to cook for a couple of minutes, "dry out". Pour in the tomato sauce & the full clove of crushed garlic. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes. Pull out the garlic clove with tongs; discard. Add in the mozzarella, stir. Top with fresh parsley; Serve w/grated parmesan, optional.

Chicken in Tomatoes

Is anyone else still mourning summer? I know, I know. I love Autumn & the change it brings, the gorgeous hues & vegetable variety... the holidays & all. But I am still a summer lovin' girl. So when I was looking into my recipe clippings for ideas & came across something with the heading "Saving Summer", I stopped short. Yes, please, let's save it!!! It was a clipping from a 2 year old back issue of Everyday Food for Chicken in Tomatoes. The article had been about freezing some of the fresh produce of the season for the upcoming chillier months. And I saved it because we always have an abundance of fresh, Jersey tomatoes from my pop-in-law's garden. Well, until this year. Don't get me wrong, we had fresh Jersey tomatoes this past summer months from pop's garden but not as many as usual. Black thumb over here heard something about the high temps causing the problem as well as the sneaky squirrel who resides in our tree. So I went ahead with this yummy recipe using canned tomatoes & it was tasty! I served it with cavatappi pasta on the side & it was a hit!

<3 Lishie

Chicken in Tomatoes
originally printed in Everyday Food

• 32 oz can of tomatoes
• 1 TBSp olive oil
• 1-2 lbs skinless chicken breasts
• s & p
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tsp oregano
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed & peeled

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Coarsely pulse the tomatoes in a food processor. In an overproof skillet, heat oil over med-high. Season chicken pieces with s & p & brown on one side, about 7 minutes. Flip & cook about 1 minute. Transfer chicken to a plate, set aside. Reduce heat to med., add onion & cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add oregano, then garlic, stir for about a minute. Add tomatoes, more s & p, & bring to a boil.

Place the chicken pieces back into the skillet, darker side up. Transfer skillet to the oven & cook 25-30 minutes, until chicken is done.

Lemon Basil Pesto over Cavatappi & Broccoli

The last days of summer are simmering down up here but it is still deliciously warm outside... And we are still reaping the benefits of our garden as well as Jersey's best produce. We are the Garden State!!! Along with the gorgeous basil from our garden (pop-in-law's green thumb!) we have delicious farmer's market lemons... And for our side salad, a gigantic cucumber from Aunt-in-law's garden! (the green thumb runneth in that family!!! Her eggplants were humongous too! YUM! And fresh, Jershey tomatoes from pop-in-law's (our) garden. 

While hubby grilled some chicken outside, I made this easy, cool & refreshing pasta that can be served hot, warm, room temp OR cold! DeLish.

<3 Lishie

Lemon Basil Pesto over Cavatappi & Broccoli

• 1/3 c  pine nuts
• 2 c  fresh basil leaves
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled 
• S & P
• 1/2 c grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1/2c  good, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 lemon, zest & juice
• 1 lb Cavatappi pasta
• 1 head of broccoli florets

Toss the first 5 ingredients into the food processor. Process! As the ingredients combine... drizzle in the olive oil. It is done when it is the consistency you prefer... Scoop it out & fold in the lemon zest & juice.

Meanwhile cook the pasta al dente... The last 2 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli into the boiling pot with the pasta. Drain all & combine with the pesto & serve. ENJOY!

Cheesy Wild Rice & Broccoli

A delicious side to perk up any meal... Nutritious... eat your broccoli! You can also add fresh spinach or asparagus to this dish!
<3 Lishie

Cheesy Wild Rice & Broccoli

• 1-2 TBSp olive oil
• 1 c wild rice
• 2 1/4 c chicken broth(or veggie broth)
  
• 2 small heads of broccoli florets
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 TBSp butter
• 1 c shredded sharp cheddar
• S & P
  

Heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.  Add the rice & stir to coat. Toast the rice, stirring often, just until it starts to turn golden.
Pour in the chicken broth, bring to a boil, turn heat to low, & cover.  Cook, covered, for 10 minutes.

Add in the broccoli & garlic, continue cooking for 5 -10 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat & stir in the butter, cheese & S & P; Taste. Enjoy!

Pesto Pasta & Spinach

Another yummy meal from the fresh basil in our yard. The plant, thanks to my pop-in-law, is humongous. This is easy, quick & most importantly, a cool meal that can be served hot, at room temperature or cool/cold in the summer!
<3 Lishie

Pesto Pasta & Spinach

• 1/3 c  pine nuts
• 2 c  fresh basil leaves
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled 
• S & P
• 1/2 c grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1/2c  good, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 lb pasta (favorite shape)
• 14 oz fresh, baby spinach, washed

Toss the first 5 ingredients into the food processor. Process! As the ingredients combine... drizzle in the olive oil. Sauce is done when it is the consistency you prefer!

Meanwhile cook the pasta al dente... The last 2 minutes of cooking, add the spinach into the boiling pot with the pasta. Drain all & combine with the pesto & serve. ENJOY!

Swap ~ Vegetarian

It's the middle of July!!! Half my birthday month flew by... how did that happen? Well I will move on & enjoy the rest of this glorious summer. This post is our bi-weekly Swap from my National Cooking Board, put together by Sarah from A Taste of Home Cooking (THANK you, Sarah!) I love, love, love these swaps & the subject was Vegetarian. I always am looking for a great veggie dinner for when my sister visits & I love my veggie meals too so I was ecstatic. I got this gem from Mary Ellen... & I saw quinoa. Now, I am really not a fan of quinoa (to the extent I pronounce it Quin-Noah purposefully- it's Keen-wah.) When I saw Mary Ellen had a recipe she wanted to share I became ecstatic again. Her blog is great! That, combined with my hubby's need to eat better/lower his cholesterol... And I made it. And it was yummy. Not "I cannot wait to eat quinoa again yummy" BUT it you love or like the grain, MAKE this. It came out moist & tasty. The only thing I will interject here is that this was a hard one for the summer for me- turning on the oven (to roast the garlic) in 100 degree weather like we've had (even with a/c) was awfully hot & tough. But the outcome was delish. Thank you, Mary Ellen!
<3 Lishie (btw- I gave my Round Pasta)

This is Mary Ellen's Italian version of quinoa:

Quinoa with Roasted Garlic, Tomatoes, and Spinach from Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

• 1/2 c quinoa, rinsed and drained (it is important to rinse quinoa to wash off any residue which can be bitter in taste)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, I like them for some kick)
• 2 tbsp dry white wine
• 1 c vegetable broth
• 1/2 bulb roasted garlic (about 6 cloves), chopped
• 1 small tomato, seeds removed and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
• 1 tbsp shallots, chopped
• 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a pot
Add shallots and red pepper flakes and saute for 1-2 minutes
Add quinoa and stir for 1-2 minutes
Add wine and stir until absorbed (wait until you see how the quinoa jumps around in the pot when liquid is added!!)
Add broth and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and cover. Let simmer until broth is absorbed, about 12-15 minutes.
Once the broth has absorbed, stir in the roasted garlic, tomatoes, spinach, and cheese.
Serve immediately.

Recipe Swap~ Blogger's Choice!

For this swap, called the “Blogger's Choice” Swap, we were given a fellow blogger’s URL & told we can choose any recipe off the blog!!! Well, I received my friend Feisty (aka Christina)’s Tales from the Mad Men Kitchen! Woohoo!!! I read her blog often & had just printed out: Quick Chicken Vesuvio. It sounded right up our alley. We love Giada’s Chicken Vesuvio & this also has quick in the title. Win/win... When I bookmarked it to make (i.e. stashed the idea in my head), I had already added artichokes. Then, when hubby & I went shopping, I forgot potatoes. This makes me extremely sad. I love the taters. Hubby didn’t mind since we also love artichokes & (if you can believe it), potatoes are a second thought to him.

I went ahead & made this even faster & easier. How? I used ONE skillet. Yes, only one… Without the added time of the potatoes, it worked well. And subtracted the peas. Served it with fresh baked crescent rolls.

Great for a working, cooking, homework assisting mom & her family! Thank you so much Feisty & thank you, Sarah @ A Taste of Home Cooking for hosting the swap as usual!

PS- look at the Everyday with Rachael Ray April 2012 INGREDIENTS list… Do you see a typo? 2   pounds  Salt and pepper Ummmm TWO POUNDS of S&P?!? LOL

Quick Chicken Vesuvio 

adapted from:  Everyday with Rachael Ray April 2012 

via Tales From the Madmen Kitchen

• 1/3 - 1/2 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 
• 1 tsp dried oregano, lightly crushed 
• Salt & pepper
• 1 can of artichokes in water, drained 
• 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into large chunks 
• 1/2 c Flour, for coating
• 1/2 c dry white wine
• 1/2 c chicken stock
• 1/4 c finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees . In a large skillet, heat about 1/4 c of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic &  oregano & S & P & artichokes. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. “Spatula” it over to the outskirts/sides of the pan. Add a little more olive oil into the cleared center. Season the chicken liberally with s & p & coat in flour. Brown the chicken on each side until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine & stock. Transfer the skillet into the oven. Roast to cook the chicken through, 10 to 12 minutes. Top with the parsley.

Spring Pasta

Another quick & easy, spring-time pasta. I love these options on a work night. And I LOVE artichokes, do you?

<3 Lishie

Spring Pasta

• 1 package farfalle pasta, cooked
• 3 TBSp olive oil 
• 2 cloves, garlic, minced
• 1 container grape tomatoes
• 1 can quartered artichoke hearts (in water)
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced
• 2 TBSp fresh parsley, chopped
• sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Toss the pasta with the olive oil & minced garlic as soon as it is cooked... add the tomatoes, artichokes, mozzarella & parsley...Toss. Add S & P, to taste. Serve!

Easy Parmesan Knots

Happy "Monday-after-Thanksgiving" people! :) Now you may be surprised at this but, my family is not a good leftovers type family. So we don't live off Thanksgiving for days to come. We don't waste it, we just do not morph the turkey into new creations because, for one thing, turkey is great but not every day. So I made new things over the weekend & decided to try these easier than easy garlic knots I had seen on Pinterest. If you are not on Pinterest- go look now: 

Pinterest (Lishie's)

If you need an invite, comment below with your email & I will send you one!

The garlic knots were so tasty I cannot wait to make them again!

Easy Parmesan Knots

adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

• 1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1. Roll each biscuit into a 12-in. rope & tie into a knot; tuck ends under. Place 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; brush the warm knots with the mixture. Yield: 8 knots.

For another Pillsbury-type creation, a sweet, try my Cinnamon-Sugar Knots, 

&/or Mini Cinnamon~Walnut Pinwheels .

 
<3 Lishie

Gingery Chicken ~ Slowcooker

So it's back to work after a long, beautiful Memorial Day weekend. I had the prep time so I went ahead & readied this dish for the day back to work. I recently got America's Test Kitchen "Slowcooker Revolution" Cookbook & I was so excited. I love ATK & their recipes are delicious & trustworthy. Plus they explain why some things work & some things do not. This recipe is adapted from one in their book. Since I only have a 6 Quart Crock-Pot, I made 3 split chicken breasts which is enough for our family.


The chicken came out mighty juicy & the sauce is yummy... I made white rice on the side & poured the gingery sauce over it. As another side, I made roasted cauliflower, adding one tsp of fresh, minced ginger to the dressing. Silly me was too tired/too sick- forgot to take pictures of the dish all gussied up! ;) Sorry! 

Slowcooker Gingery Chicken, adapted from America's Test Kitchen

• 2 TBSp Canola Oil
• 3 Split, bone-in Chicken Breasts
• 1 Onion, chopped small
• 3 large Garlic Cloves, minced
• 3 TBSp fresh Ginger, minced
• 1/4 cup AP Flour
• 1 cup Chicken Broth
• 3 TBSp Soy Sauce (I always use low-sodium)
• 1 TBSp Sugar
• S & P
• 2 Scallion stalks, Optional topping

On medium-high, heat the canola oil & brown the chicken breasts on both sides. Do it in batches if you need the room. <<*My crock-pot is stove-top friendly. If yours is not, use a large saute pan.>> Remove the browned chicken pieces. In the same oil, saute the onion till it is clear, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic & 2 TBSp of the ginger... saute for another minute. 

Mix in the flour & cook while stirring for a minute. While whisking, add in the chicken broth & get all of the good, brown bits up! <<*If you are using a saute pan, TRANSFER to the crock-pot now.>> Add in the soy sauce, sugar & S & P & whisk till combined. Nestle in the chicken pieces... 


Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. Remove the chicken & place on serving platter. Skim the fatty oil off of the top of the sauce then add in the last TBSp of ginger. Ladle sauce over chicken pieces. Serve the chicken topped with scallions.

Roasted New Potatoes with Garlic, Lemon & Rosemary

So recently, I went to a Pampered Chef Party. I love some of their products & was set on ordering a couple of things but never thought I'd get dipping seasoning. It just LOOKED.so.delish. And it is! OMGoodness, I opened the lid of the Lemon & Rosemary Oil Dipping Seasoning & it just smelled so good. I can't wait to order more seasoning mixes from them. 

And the best part? The sauce at the bottom of the pan! Pure, warm dipping deliciousness with good, crusty bread! I actually sauteed some spinach in a pan then mixed it with the potatoes to soak up the sauce.

The roasted potatoes were the perfect accompaniment to mini turkey meatloaves (I halved the turkey mixture. 1/2 lb. of the mixture in each small bread tin. And lessened the cooking time to 40 minutes.)

Mini Turkey Loaves

Roasted New Potatoes

• 3 lbs.  of New Potatoes, washed & halved
• 6 whole cloves of Garlic, crushed
• 1 TBSp Lemon & Rosemary Oil Dipping Seasoning (or the equivalent lemon zest/dried rosemary/S & P)
• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 425 degree.


Place everything in a glass or ceramic baking tray & mix together well. Roast for 45-50 minutes, stirring the potatoes once or twice, until the potatoes are browned on the edges.

Mini Turkey Loaf + roasted new Potatoes with Spinach

*Lishie tip- everyone has their own roasted potato recipe but I usually change mine to pair well with whatever protein I am cooking. There are countless combinations. So I use this equation:
3 lbs. new Potatoes + 
1/4 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil + 
fresh Garlic cloves + 
1 TBSp Dry Herbs OR 
2-3 TBSp Fresh Herbs = 
DeLish Roasted Potatoes!

Cooking for a beloved Vegetarian

Cavatelli & Broccolini

So my sister Perrie, "Gabriel's aunt", the teeny-tiny, GOOD eater BUT also a vegetarian, is finally coming to visit! What does that mean? Sister Lishie is in the kitchen preparing all of little sis' favorite foods... Something for dinner (sorry- tomorrow's blog- Hint? It's veggie as well ;) This is IT ) & most importantly, to "takeaway" home with her. Yes, I am cooking & packing it all up. She loves Kasha - CHECK! packed... & I also made Cavatelli & Broccolini, yes, broccolini. Broccolini is a natural hybrid between broccoli & gai-lan (Chinese Kale) but looks like broccoli rabe. You can definitely go with the classic broccoli though! I thought I'd change it up when I saw these gorgeous, unique greens at the supermarket.

Cavatelli & Broccolini

Cavatelli & Broccolini - CHECK! packed
 

2 heads of brocolini
1 lb. cavatelli
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
*red pepper flakes (optional)
fresh, grated parmesan (for topping)

When water boils, add in pasta & broccolini... cook to cavatelli package instructions, then drain.

While the pasta & broccolini are cooking, heat the olive oil on medium heat, add the garlic slices & cook until they are golden. Be VERY careful not to burn the garlic! Add in the red pepper flakes if using. Add the pasta & broccolini to the garlic oil sauce & toss together. Top with grated parmesan cheese.

*Instead of red pepper flakes I chopped a slice of red bell pepper very small to add a little color to the dish without the kick.

All the while making & prepping these three dishes, I fed Gabriel & cooked this hubby pleaser for dinner.

Perrie's "Takeaway"

I cannot wait to see my little sister, can you tell? Hope my dishes make her happy. Next up? Dessert for Perrie as well as a birthday treat for another special person! Stay-tuned :)

(Quick) Marinara (Sawse)!

I never buy sauce in a jar, I always make it because I've found that my quick marinara sauce recipe is simple & tastes so good, why use store bought? I use the following recipe as sauce for pastas, raviloi or for dinners like baked ziti, stuffed shells, mushroom or eggplant parmigiana as well as a "dip" for calzones & breadsticks... & for homemade pizza:

Quick Marinara Sauce

• 1 TBsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped & diced very small
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TBsp tomato paste
• herbs (whatever's fresh on hand or dried oregano & basil)
• (*red pepper flakes, if desired)
• 2 large cans tomato sauce (or whole tomatoes -blend these)
• 1 can diced tomatoes or freshly chopped, diced tomatoes
• S & P
• 1 TBsp sugar
• 1 bay leaf (take out at end)
• Fresh Basil
• Fresh Parsley

On medium-low, heat the olive oil in the sauce pan. Sweat the onion (saute it until it becomes clear) then add the garlic for one minute. Stir in the tomato paste & herbs & cook for another minute.  Pour in the tomato sauce & diced tomatoes. Sprinkle in S&P to taste, then add sugar, stir. Place in the bay leaf. Simmer for an hour or longer (the longer it simmers, the thicker it gets, & the more the flavors blend together). At the end of the simmering, right before you turn off the stove, pull out the bay leaf with tongs, then add in fresh basil . Top with some fresh, chopped parsley.